Mike and Lynette Jackson generously turned down wedding gifts when they tied the knot.

Instead, boxing coach Mike – a former assistant to Ricky Hatton – and Lynette chose to raise money for charity in memory of their dear friend and former Tameside Mayoress and Stalybridge Councillor Eileen Shorrock.

Lynette said: “Mike and I agreed between us that we didn’t need anything for the house or ourselves and that we would donate the money to charity instead of having wedding presents.

“So we sent out invitations asking our guests to bring a present; it didn’t matter how big or small.

“We asked them to wrap the present so that we didn’t know what it was and then we held a raffle at our reception to raise the money for charity.”

Lovingly remembered: Former Mayoress of Tameside, Cllr Eileen Shorrock, who lost her battle to cancer in 2014

The couple chose to donate the money to the Tameside Macmillan Unit in memory of Eileen.

She had served as Mayor of the borough in 1997/1998 and was a councillor for Stalybridge North Ward and also Dukinfield/Stalybridge.

A mother of four and grandmother of five, Eileen sadly passed away in December 2014 after losing her battle to cancer.

Lynette added: “Another friend of ours, Judy Hall, was also going through cancer treatment at the time we were planning our wedding.”

Lynette said they had gone through Judy’s cancer treatment journey and happily Judy has now made a full recovery.